Device for continuously sampling deep sea surface water

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses an ocean surface water continuous sampling device, the device comprises a support that ascends and descends along the stern, on the support a sampling pipe for drawing and sampling the surface water, and hydraulic tanks for driving the support up and down to send the sampling pipe to where the surface water is are provided, and a buffer mechanism for avoiding damage due to constant water resistance to the sampling pipe during sailing is provided on the support too. Configuration of the depth transducer, control unit and hydraulic tanks, promises surface water accurate and continuous collection during research vessel travelling; the buffer mechanism works effectively in avoiding radial and axial damage to the sampling pipe due to continuous water current resistance, which successfully relieves the resistance, and prolongs sampling pipe life; and automatic surface water collection is realized with the automatic control design.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the technical field of research vessels, especially to ocean surface water continuous sampling device.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY

Microplastics are a type of plastic fragment that is less than 5 mm in diameter, and are primary carriers causing pollution. Microplastics include low density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyurethane, polyamide, and polyethylene terephthalate etc. Microplastics are of tiny volume, which means higher specific surface area (total surface area of a porous solid material per unit of mass), and the bigger is the specific surface area, the stronger is the ability to absorb pollutants. First of all, there are already a lot of persistent organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyl and bisphenol A (most of these organic pollutants are lyophobic, which means that they cannot be dissolved in water, as a result, they are not floating as water does), and once microplastics meet these pollutants, they aggregate to form an organic polluting sphere. Microplastics play a role of a mount, on which the pollutants roam around.

It is pointed out in the UNEP year-book 2014 and the report Valuing plastic, that plastic pollution has affected livelihood of marine organisms and development of tourism, fishery and commerce, which improved awareness of microplastics. Generally, particle diameter of microplastics is below 5 mm, which is likely to be ingested by organisms in the “lower end” of food chain, such as zooplankton, benthonic organisms, fishes and mussels, and as it is not possible to digest such microplastics, which are swallowed, kept in stomach of animals and occupying space, causing animal illness or even death; and harm to zooplankton is even worse, when microplastics with organic pollutants are ingested, the pollutant in vivo is released under the effect of enzymes and aggravates the illness. On one hand, organism death may happen which adversely affects stability of the ecosystem, on the other hand, the harm may be extended to human when pollutants are spread to dining tables in the effect of food chains. Organisms like mussels, and zooplankton at the bottom of the food chain may be eaten by animals at higher end, the food chain is characterized by its “magnification” effect, which means, the contaminants existing in an animal at lower end may be only 1%, and upon spreading to the higher end animal, it may be magnified to 20%, which causes many illnesses or death of organisms ingesting microplastics and accompanying pollutants, as human is in the top end of food chain, there will be a lot of microplastics in human body as a result of the “magnification” effect, which are difficult to digest and may pose unpredictable threat to human health. Just like PM2.5 in the marine, microplastics threatens health of marine organisms and human. Animal experiments show that, due to tiny particle diameter, microplastics may enter tissue cell, accumulate in animal viscera, trigger infection and case damage to liver and endocrine disturbance etc.

To manage microplastics in the marine, first it is necessary to conduct an inspection on the ingredients and contents of microplastics, and evaluate how severe the pollution is and its primary source, and provide basis for consequent pollution control work. At the present, FT-IR Microscopy & Imaging Systems by Perkin Elmer and Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy are employed in marine microplastics inspection. FT-IR Microscopy & Imaging Systems and Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy is providing useful support for the inspection. However, to conduct the micro plastic inspection, it is necessary to sample the microplastic particles from the marine surface water and filter them first. Currently, there are two sampling methods available, static sampling and dynamic sampling at the stern or side board of a ship; it is easy to conduct a static sampling, but it is necessary to halt the ship, and not convenient to collect a large number of data to evaluate conditions over a span of sea; and for the dynamic sampling, as the ship is moving, the sea water will pose strong and lasting resistance to the sampling facilities, bringing higher demands to them. However, it is necessary and highly desirable to evaluate the microplastics pollution conditions over a span of sea by sample inspection, thus a continuous and well-proportioned sampling shall be done against it, in other words, the bigger is the sea sampling area over a span of sea, the more accurate are the sampling data, which calls for a continuous sampling. For example, in China, a variety of deep ocean sampling facilities have been independently developed, such as the one with multiple pipes, trunk type one and trawl type.

Usually, trunk type samplers are used in static sampling, as it is difficult to have the trunk fixed due to water resistance when the ship is moving, consequently, the trunk is liable to rub, crush and even damage the ship body; samplers with a trawl is not proper for stable long time sampling too, as the trawl will always twine with objects under the water, such as those in the aquacultural area or some floating matters. At present, research vessel continuous sampling is generally done during travel, by installing one or more sampling pipes on the side board, extending it/them 20-30 cm below the marine water surface, drawing sea water with the sampling pipes onboard, but there are still some shortcomings with this sampling way, first of all, as the research vessels are travelling, the sampling pipes will be subject to a constant resistance during collecting marine surface water, which may produce a floating power on the sampling pipes, rendering their position under the water unstable and it difficult to fix them on the stern; second, even if the conventional sampling pipes are well fixed on the stern, the research vessels' long and continuous travelling will always incur constant water resistance on the sampling pipes, rendering them bending and damaging ; third, it is still to be solved with regard to how to firmly secure sampling pipes on the stern.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Targeting the deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention aims to provide a kind of adaptive dynamic sampling method and sampling device used for sampling ocean surface water continuously , by which it is not only possible to continuously collect surface water data over a large span of sea, and ensure stable sampling process, and proper sampling data and accurate water sample from designed aqueous layers, and in the meantime, it will cause no delay to the research vessels' navigation, and other marine data collection.

To address the above mentioned technical problems, the technical plan adopted by the present invention is that: an ocean surface water continuous sampling device, which includes a support which can ascend or descend along the stern; on the support, a sampling pipe for drawing and sampling surface water and a hydraulic tank for driving the support up and down, to send the sampling pipe to the surface water are fixed; a buffer mechanism, configured for avoiding damage to the sampling pipe due to the water resistance during travelling is provided on the support too; the said buffer mechanism comprises a buffer room on the support, the buffer room comprises a buffer cavity, and on the buffer room a mounting hole allowing the sampling pipe to pass the buffer cavity is provided; in the buffer room, a flexible supporting assembly allowing the sampling pipe to axially and radially move freely within the mounting hole when a continuous water resistance happens is provided; at the bottom of the sampling pipe a depth transducer to check the distance from the sampling pipe water inlet to the water surface is provided; a control unit is provided too, while the depth transducer detects signals of the water inlet position, and sends them to the control unit, which will receive the position signals and deliver a signal controlling working status of the hydraulic tank, which will push the support to have the sampling pipe water inlet posed at the surface water, and after the sampling is done, send quit signal to the hydraulic tank, which draws the support and the sampling pipe back. The said continuous ocean surface water sampling device, the flexible supporting assembly comprises a supporting bar provided across the sampling pipe along the water resistance direction to have it fixed inside the buffer cavity, a buffer spring for undermining impact from the water resistance on the sampling pipe and a supporting spring for backing the supporting bar are provided.

The said continuous ocean surface water sampling device, wherein the sampling pipe comprises a rigid submerging pipe fixed on the buffer room, a rigid transportation pipe in connection with the rigid submerging pipe and a flexible outlet pipe in connection with the rigid transportation pipe drawing the surface water onboard, the rigid submerging pipe and rigid transportation pipe are flange connected.

The said continuous ocean surface water sampling device, wherein a connection adjustment opening is provided radially across the sampling pipe, inner diameter of the connection adjustment opening is bigger than diameter of the sampling pipe, and the supporting bar is located throughout the connection adjustment opening and is fixed onto inner sides of the buffer room.

The said continuous ocean surface water sampling device, wherein the bore diameter of the mounting hole is bigger than outer diameter of the sampling pipe.

The said continuous ocean surface water sampling device, wherein 2 hydraulic tanks are provided, symmetrically on either side of the sampling pipe and fixed on the stern.

The said continuous ocean surface water sampling device, wherein the rigid submerging pipe is configured to of a trapezoid structure, with reduced diameter top down.

Advantages of the present invention as a continuous ocean surface water sampling device: sampling device according to the present invention is installed on the stern of a research vessel, and with the configuration of depth transducer, control unit and hydraulic tanks, not only accurate surface water collection is promised, continuous sampling during travelling can be done too; with the buffer mechanism, axial and radial damage to the sampling pipe due to constant water current resistance is effectively avoided, and the resistance is to a great extent relieved, which prolongs usage life of the sampling device; at last, automatic control, enables sampling pipe depth real time adjustment depending on signals from the depth transducer, which realizes automatic surface water collection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a structural view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged structural view of the connection between the sampling pipe and the supporting members;

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarge view showing the buffer mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a view showing the surface water collection in the present invention.

EMBODIMENTS

Hereafter the present invention is more detailed explained by the accompanying drawing in conjunction with the specific embodiments:

As is shown in the FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, a continuous ocean surface water sampling device 4, which comprises a support 5 which may ascend or descend along the stern 2, a sampling pipe 6 for drawing and sampling surface water 3 and hydraulic tanks 7 for driving the support 5 up and down, to send the sampling pipe 6 to the position of surface water 3 are fixed on the support 5, and to promise the support stability during ascending and descending, the hydraulic tanks 7 in the present embodiment are configured to be two, symmetrically provided on either side of the sampling pipe 6 and fixed on the stern 2. Among the prior art, hydraulic tank 7 is a common power component, and will not be explained in details here. A buffer mechanism 8 for avoiding damage to the sampling pipe 6 due to water resistance during travelling is provided on the support 5, the buffer mechanism comprises a buffer room 9 provided on the support 5, the buffer room 9 comprises a buffer cavity 10, and on the buffer room 9 a mounting hole 11 allowing the sampling pipe 6 to pass the buffer cavity 10 is provided, to avoid rigid damage to the sampling pipe 6 due to the water resistance, bore diameter of the mounting hole 11 is bigger than outer diameter of the sampling pipe 6. In the buffer room 9, a flexible supporting assembly allowing the sampling pipe 6 to axially and radially move freely within the mounting hole 11 when a continuous water resistance happens is provided; at the bottom of the sampling pipe 6 a depth transducer 12 to check the distance from the sampling pipe water inlet to the water surface is provided; a control unit is provided too, while the depth transducer 12 detects signals of the water inlet position, and sends them to the control unit, which will receive the position signals and deliver a signal controlling working status of the hydraulic tank 7, which will push the support 5 to pose the sampling pipe water inlet at the surface water, and after the sampling is done, send quit signal to the hydraulic tank 7, which draws the support 5 and the sampling pipe 6 back. Generally, ocean surface water 3 covers water 20-30 centimeters under the water surface.

The said continuous ocean surface water sampling device, wherein the flexible supporting assembly comprises a supporting bar 13 provided across the sampling pipe 6 along the water resistance direction to have it fixed inside the buffer cavity 10, a connection adjustment opening 14 is provided radially across the sampling pipe 6, and to avoid water resistance effect on the sampling pipe 6 and leave rigid damage to it, inner diameter of the connection adjustment opening 14 is bigger than diameter of the sampling pipe 6, and supporting bar 13 is located throughout the connection adjustment opening 14 and is fixed onto inner sides of the buffer room 9. A buffer spring 15 for undermining impact from the water resistance on the sampling pipe 6 and supporting springs 16 for backing the supporting bar are provided on the supporting bar 13. In the present invention, the sampling pipe 6 comprises a rigid submerging pipe 17 fixed on the buffer room 9, a rigid transportation pipe 18 in connection with the rigid submerging pipe 17 and a flexible outlet pipe 19 in connection with the rigid transportation pipe 18 drawing the surface water onboard, the rigid submerging pipe 17 and rigid transportation pipe 18 are connected by a flange 20. Since a sampling pipe 6 of bigger size will be subject to larger influence from water resistance, the said rigid submerging pipe 17 is configured to be of a trapezoid structure, wider on top and shorter down.

Generally, during travelling, resistance that a sampling pipe 6 is bearing comes primarily from seawater in the navigation direction and transverse water current against the sampling pipe 6, however, resistance due to the transverse water current is usually small, which will not substantially impact the sampling pipe 8, with the buffer mechanism 8, it is not only possible to reduce primary resistance from seawater in the navigation direction, but will also relieve the transverse resistance, which will always promise stable position of the sampling pipe 6.

Apparently, the above explanation is not a limitation on the present invention, and the present invention shall not be limited to the above embodiments, variations, modifications, addition and replacement made by those of common skill in the art, within the substantial scope of the present invention falls within the protection of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An ocean surface water continuous sampling device, characterized in that: the device comprises a support which ascends or descends along the stern; on the support, a sampling pipe for drawing and sampling surface water and a hydraulic tank for driving the support up and down, to send the sampling pipe to the surface water are fixed; a buffer mechanism, configured for avoiding damage to the sampling pipe due to the water resistance during travelling is provided on the support too; the said buffer mechanism comprises a buffer room on the support, the buffer room comprises a buffer cavity, and on the buffer room a mounting hole allowing the sampling pipe to pass the buffer cavity is provided; in the buffer room, a flexible supporting assembly allowing the sampling pipe to axially and radially move freely within the mounting hole when a continuous water resistance happens is provided; at the bottom of the sampling pipe a depth transducer to check the distance from the sampling pipe water inlet to the water surface is provided; a control unit is provided too, while the depth transducer detects signals of the water inlet position, and sends them to the control unit, which will receive the position signals and deliver a signal controlling working status of the hydraulic tank, which will push the support to have the sampling pipe water inlet at the surface water, and after the sampling is done, send quit signal to the hydraulic tank, which draws the support and the sampling pipe back.
 2. An ocean surface water continuous sampling device according to the claim 1, characterized in that: the flexible supporting assembly comprises a supporting bar configured over the sampling pipe along the water resistance direction to have it fixed inside the buffer cavity, a buffer spring for undermining impact from the water resistance on the sampling pipe and a supporting spring for backing the supporting bar are provided.
 3. An ocean surface water continuous sampling device according to the claim 1, characterized in that: the sampling pipe comprises a rigid submerging pipe fixed on the buffer room, a rigid transportation pipe in connection with the rigid submerging pipe and a flexible outlet pipe in connection with the rigid transportation pipe drawing the surface water onboard, the rigid submerging pipe and rigid transportation pipe are flange connected.
 4. An ocean surface water continuous sampling device according to the claim 2, characterized in that: a connection adjustment opening is provided radially across the sampling pipe, inner diameter of the connection adjustment opening is bigger than diameter of the sampling pipe, and the supporting bar is located throughout the connection adjustment opening and is fixed onto inner sides of the buffer room.
 5. An ocean surface water continuous sampling device according to the claim 1, characterized in that: the bore diameter of the mounting hole is bigger than outer diameter of the sampling pipe.
 6. An ocean surface water continuous sampling device according to the claim 1, characterized in that: two hydraulic tanks are provided, symmetrically on either side of the sampling pipe and fixed on the stern.
 7. An ocean surface water continuous sampling device according to the claim 3, characterized in that: the rigid submerging pipe is configured to of a trapezoid structure, with reduced diameter top down. 